Decisive hours for the solution of the name dispute, encouraging messages

Encouraging messages have been issued ahead of the telephone conversation expected to take place between PM Zoran Zaev and PM Alexis Tsipras for the solution of the name contest.

The US ambassador to Skopje, Jess Baily said that the US supports a solution which would be in favour of both countries and the region.

“The negotiations between the two countries continue. The US and the EU hope that these negotiations will yield a joint acceptable solution that people have long waited for”, ambassador Baily said.

Meanwhile, former minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Milososki has posted on Facebook that besides the package that includes the name “Republic of Northern Macedonia”, last night, Greece has also put forward two extra requests, which were not part of the draft agreement reached by Kotzias and Dimitrov in Brussels.

One of these requests states that the country’s language should not be written “Macedonian”, as it has been registered at the UN, but “Makedonski” in Latin letters and without translation. Also, it has been demanded that the country should not obtain an invitation to become a NATO member without first holding a referendum and amending the Constitution. According to him, the third option is for the agreement to be postponed several months.

Deputy PM for European Affairs, Bujar Osmani said today during the meeting with the EU head of diplomacy, Federica Mogherini that the hours to come may be crucial for the result of the negotiations.

Media in Skopje report that if Zaev accepts the 20 page drafted agreement, the contest of the name will be resolved. Otherwise, the negotiations will fail. /ibna/